Pulse
by itachi234
Summary: What happens when a forbidden love is hidden from the world? What happens when inseparable lovers are forced apart? What happens when one of them is ripped away, never to be seen again? 1st long fic. bear with me. rated M for future chapters. enjoy :3
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Gaara inked his name on the bottom of the parchment, indicating that he approved the C ranked mission his student and her two new teammates were to be given. He rolled up the scroll and set it to the side of his desk along with a bunch of other scrolls and papers that needed filing. He then handed Matsuri a slightly smaller scroll tied neatly with a small red ribbon. Their mission was to deliver the scroll to a nearby village, the Hidden Lightning Village. She smiled and she and her companions bowed, thanked the young Kazekage, and left.

Gaara sighed. Because the mission would take about a week, maybe six days, he wouldn't be spending any time training with Matsuri. That would have bothered him slightly but the heat was unbearable lately, even for Suna, with its hot desert wind and scratchy sandy streets. It was making him rather irritable. He was glad to let Matsuri and her friends go. The Hidden Lightning village had some trees and shade from the harsh sun, unlike Suna. It definitely wasn't as shaded as Konoha but it was bound to be cooler than here.

Gaara sipped his apple juice thoughtfully, enjoying the slightly sweet liquid as it trickled down his throat. He looked at the bottle, amused. Since Suna and Konoha had become allies, they'd been trading goods with each other. Konoha would buy special medicine that was made from certain rare desert plants and glass treasures made from the sand and such while Suna would purchase fine goods such as fruit juices, something they rarely enjoyed before the alliance, and timber to build things. Connections could not be greater between the two villages.

The door to his office swung open suddenly, gripping him back to reality. The coolness the apple juice had left behind only seconds before vanished and was replaced by the persistent, undying heat. The corners of his mouth twitched downward, annoyed that he let his mind drift and even more annoyed that someone had caught him off guard. He looked toward the door to see who it was that had interrupted him so and his expression softened as his best friend walked toward him with his teammates trailing behind. Both Tenten and Neji looked worn and unhappy, slightly annoyed even, but Lee was as chipper and cheerful as ever and skipped over to the large oak desk where the Kazekage sat.

"Good morning Kazekage-sama!" Lee exclaimed, leaning on the desk to greet his friend.

'_Morning?'_ Gaara glanced at the clock on the wall to his right and glared at it. 10:08am. _'Great. If this heat doesn't kill me, the loss of time's ability to flow will.' _He'd only been in his office for three hours yet it felt like he'd been sitting there for days. He turned back to Lee. "We're friends Lee, there's no need for such formalities." Lee looked as if Gaara just asked him never to do taijutsu again.

"Absolutely unthinkable Kazekage-sama! Not using such formalities would be of the greatest insult! I would never disrespect you like that!" Lee's right hand reached up to punch the air, _'yosh'_ plastered across his well tanned face. Neji rolled his eyes and Tenten shook her head sadly. Their eccentric teammate was too much even for them sometimes. Gaara didn't mind though; there was something about the green-clad taijutsu master that calmed the burning rage that dwelled within his heart. Being around him made him feel at ease. Something about it just felt right.

Gaara chuckled, a low, deep purr that sent shivers racing up the spines of the two ninjas closest to the door. Lee was unaffected; he had heard it enough times to be used to it, though he knew a rare few others ever heard it. The smaller male always seemed happier (if you call not constantly glaring happy) when Lee was around and Lee guessed he knew why. Lee was Gaara's first friend. He trusted very few people and Lee was shocked, but honored still, when Gaara told Lee he wanted to be friends. Lee gladly accepted and saw the faintest hint of a smile threatening to reveal itself on the redhead's lips before it quickly vanished and he shook Lee's hand. It was a smile that Lee seldom saw but cherished every moment he caught it, wondering if anyone else ever saw what he did. This was one of those special moments and Lee beamed at Gaara, his companions waiting for him by the door, oblivious to the silent connection transpiring between the two unlikeliest of friends.

"And to what do I owe the honor of having three of Konoha's finest ninjas in my village?" Gaara asked, looking Lee in the eyes.

"We're on vacation!" Lee blurted excitedly. "Whenever things get slow around the village Lady Tsunade allows us to take vacations. We all take turns deciding where to go. This time was my turn and I decided for us to come here!" Lee gave Gaara a thumbs up.

"Well it is truly an honor. However, I'm afraid the village isn't in its prime for tourism at the moment. The heat has been unrelenting and the people have taken to staying indoors during the day and coming out mainly at night. Our doors are open to you of course, but if you wish to stay I suggest you properly protect yourselves from the heat." He looked to Neji and Tenten who looked anxious to get out of the office.

"We'd love to stay here!" A strange pressure tightened around Gaara's chest as Lee said this.

Ever since Shukaku had been extracted from him, Gaara had started getting these odd feelings every now and then. The only emotion he'd ever been able to feel while hosting Shukaku was anger. He reasoned that it was the demon's power that drained all other emotion out of him. He supposed it was to make him stronger. He didn't like it but he could see how effective it was. Anger made him want to fight; a constant thirst for blood kept him on his toes, kept him aware of everything that happened around him. All the other emotions would just get in the way and cloud his judgement. He didn't really understand them but he saw what happened to people when they got too caught up in them. Emotions could destroy people. He could never see why people would ever want those kinds of feelings but now he knew why. They felt good. He didn't understand them well but he knew he liked them. He had acquired a few friends; Lee being his first, a strange new thing that he liked more and more over time, and Naruto the second. He was grateful for every moment he got to spend with them, feeling more and more with every word exchanged, every shoulder slapped in admiration, every laugh that no longer annoyed him but now amused him.

All of his friendships were different though. The friendship he had with his brother and sister was very formal. It wasn't much different than it had been before but he could at least tell they were no longer afraid of him. The friendship he had with Naruto was anything but formal, as the loud blond didn't seem to give a damn about anyone's authority except his own, but he admired the knuckleheaded ninja all the same. The friendship he had with Lee, however, was different somehow. There were barriers in his other relationships that didn't seem to exist in this one and some that seemed to only exist here. He wasn't sure what they meant and felt there would be consequences for trying to pass them but was curious anyway. There was a strange tingling in his chest that he felt whenever Lee was around but never felt it with anyone else. He wanted to ask Lee about it but knew it was one of those barriers that shouldn't be crossed. He felt as if breaking that barrier would somehow upset Lee, something he dreaded more than anything, though he couldn't understand why.

"Good." Gaara stated. He would have been disappointed if Lee had decided to leave already. He pulled a piece of blank parchment out from one of the drawers in his desk and began scribbling hastily across it. Finally he signed the note and handed it to Lee. "Give this to Kire. She owns the hotel down the street." Lee scanned the note and smiled. "It's just to tell her that you are to have a nice room and to have a fan installed so you are all comfortable. I would not like it if my friends suffered from heat stroke while on their vacation." Lee quickly circled around the desk and threw his arms around his smaller friend.

"You are awesome!" he shouted. This caused Neji and Tenten to tense severely, shock evident on their faces, not knowing what Gaara's reaction would be. Anyone would be scared, knowing Gaara's temper.

Gaara's heart throbbed painfully in his chest, beating far too fast. It made him feel dizzy and slightly sick as he just stood there. He'd never hugged anyone before and wasn't exactly sure what to do. He gingerly patted the raven haired boy on the back, awkwardness bursting from his every pore until Lee released him, leaving him dazed and rather off balance. He sat down and felt the heat pouring from his face, hoping his company would link it to the heat instead of what just happened. He doubted it.

Neji and Tenten avoided looking at Gaara for the few awkward minutes that they remained in the room, Lee spouting 'thank you's' and promises of meeting Gaara later that day. He was totally oblivious to the effects of what he had just done. Gaara nodded and agreed to see him later after his work was finished and ushered them out of the office, grumbling about how many hours it would take him to finish everything. He locked the door behind him and lay down on the tan sofa between the two large office windows. He closed his eyes and put his hand to his chest, feeling his steadily declining heartbeat as it slowly returned to normal. A surge of electricity ran through his heart and down into his stomach. _'What the hell?' _His grip tightened on his chest, his heartbeat throbbing against his pale, slender fingers. _'Why does it hurt but still feel so good? Why do I want more?' _That was the trouble. He did want more. He just didn't know how to go about doing that. Usually he just let his friends decide how the relationship would flow but this time he felt like he needed to do something. He had to feel it again.

As soon as they were out of the office building Tenten rounded on Lee, socking him hard in the face. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you? Do you _want_ to get killed?" Lee had dropped Gaara's note, surprised when Tenten had hit him. He picked it up and looked at her, head tilted to the side, smiling innocently.

"What do you mean Tenten? Did I do something wrong?" Tenten looked like she was about to rip his head off.

"You just hugged the Kazekage. _Subaku no Gaara_." She dragged out every syllable of his name for emphasis and was annoyed when Lee's expression didn't change. "You know, the man that has tried several times in the past to _kill you_? Remember that?" She folded her arms across her chest.

Lee started walking down the street to the hotel, not seeing the significance of this. "I know what he did Tenten, but that was in the past. He has apologized and won't do it again." He shrugged and Tenten stared after him disbelievingly.

"And who's to say he won't do it again Lee, huh?" He turned to her and gave her a thumbs up.

"He said so!" She smacked her forehead with her palm.

"And you believe him? Just like that?" Lee nodded.

"Of course I do. He is my friend after all." She just shook her head and she and Neji followed as he gave Gaara's note to the lady behind the desk. She was old and used a cane to support her when she walked but she was very sweet to the three young ninjas. She handed them two keys for their room and told a nearby man who was currently sweeping a section of the floor to install a fan. He nodded and reassured them he would be up within an hour to put it in. The three companions thanked him and Kire and they went up to check out their room.

There were six levels to the hotel and they were lucky that they got a room on the second floor. Heat rose and they were sure they'd die if they were all the way at the top. The room was rather spacious. It had three beds made up along the back wall, a slim round table in the middle of the room and a mini fridge with a vase of purple desert flowers placed atop it. There was an open door to their right that led to a bathroom. The walls of the room were a pleasant mint green color. It felt comfortable here, despite the stinging heat.

They were silent as they unpacked their things and chose their beds. Lee got the one closest to the left wall, Tenten was in the middle, and Neji got the bed next to the right wall. The handyman made good on his promise and was in the room in a half hour, installing a large metal fan in one of the windows. They turned it on then thanked him and gave him a tip when he left. It must be horrible to have such a physical job in this heat.

Neji muttered something about taking a shower so cold it could freeze hell over and left his friends to cool in front of the fan. The breeze was welcoming and Lee leaned into it, loving the feeling of the wind rushing through his hair.

"Do you feel something for him?" The question startled Lee and he looked over at his brunette friend, face a slight shade of pink.

"Wh-what? Who?" Lee sputtered but knew Tenten knew he was playing dumb.

"Gaara." Her gaze was stern but her eyes were soft.

"I-I don't know what you mean." He blurted out defensively, trying to avoid her eyes and preoccupying himself with the bandages around his left arm. They were perfectly wrapped as they always were; he was picky about his bandages, making sure they weren't too tight or too loose, that the ends weren't sticking out. There was nothing wrong with them but he felt the need to look at something other than Tenten's piercing stare, which he knew could see right through him. She knew him all too well.

"I'm not blind Lee. I see they way you act when you're around him. You're all smiles. More than usual! It's scary. Of all places to have a vacation you pick here, a giant hot sandbox, and you hugged him!" Lee sighed. He knew when he was defeated.

His face reddened as he stared hard at his bandages, no longer fiddling with them. "I like him. Is that ok?" She patted him on the back.

"Of course it's ok to like someone. It's not something you can control. But you have to remember. He is the Kazekage. He has to set a good example for everyone in his village. And don't forget that he tried to kill you." Lee glared at her. She was taken aback. Lee never glared at anyone except those trying to obstruct justice and they all answered to his taijutsu, willingly or not.

"I told you Tenten, that's in the past. What he did before isn't important now. He's a completely different person now." He stood up and she followed him with her eyes.

"I know Lee, but I just…"

"Just what? Want to control my life? Tell me who I can and cannot like? What I can and cannot do? It's my life Tenten so butt out." Lee was furious. He could tell she was only being kind and trying to give him some advice but everything she said just rubbed him completely the wrong way.

"No. I just want you to be careful. That's all." She looked as if she were about to cry. Lee knew he was being a jerk but he couldn't stand it when people tried to tell him how to live his life. He stalked out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

He felt hot tears prickle at his eyes as he marched down the sandy street. He didn't know where he was going but he didn't care. He just didn't want to sit still. _'I don't see how there could be a problem with us being together. We're both reasonable, respectable adults. We should be able to do what we want and if people have a problem with that they should just screw off!' _ That particular bitter thought led him to a small dark building. He looked at it. It was odd that he'd never seen it before; he'd been to Suna many times. He looked around him and noticed that he didn't recognize where he was at all. _'Wow, this place is bigger than I thought it was.' _

He opened the door and walked inside slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. He was surprised when he found that it was a small teahouse. It looked nothing like the teahouse on the main street. That one had tan walls and a high white ceiling whereas the walls here were dark brown wood panels and the roof was the same color and low enough where if Lee jumped he could touch it. He sat down at a small round table in the corner. He looked around thoughtfully. This was definitely not a tourist hotspot, he could tell. There were a total of three other people in the room and they were all at the same table. One, Lee recognized, was Gaara's sensei, though he could not clearly remember his name. He didn't recognize the other two, one of which was sporting a huge sword with a hole near the tip, but they were talking animatedly to each other about what looked like something important. Lee watched in amusement for a moment until a short, smiley girl walked over to take his order. She was pretty. She had black hair tied up in a neat bun above her neck and had painted her nails black. Or maybe they were a dark green shade. It was hard to tell in this light. Her wooden sandals complimented her green kimono beautifully. As beautiful as Lee thought she was however, he secretly mused that her beauty was nowhere near Gaara's.

"I'd like a frozen vanilla chai please." He girl nodded, bowed, and gracefully strode into the back room. She came out not two minutes later with an icy vanilla chai which Lee gladly sipped, savoring the cooling vanilla as it slid down his throat. It was the most delicious chai he had ever had and it felt so good on such a hot day. He let his mind wander as he steadily devoured the refreshing drink. He thought about what Tenten said and the anger started back up again. It wasn't as sharp as it had been earlier but it still hurt. He then thought of Gaara and wondered if the young Kazekage had any feelings for him. He knew it was unlikely but unlikely didn't mean impossible. He would try to win the redhead's affection in any way possible. He was filled with passion, a new determination. He jumped up, nearly toppling the small table and startling the other three customers. The kimono girl walked over to him, a worried expression on her face.

"Is there something wrong?" She questioned.

"Yes." Lee stated firmly. "I think I may be going insane." He smiled at the confused woman. "I'm not exactly sure what I've got to do but I know I have to do it soon. If I don't, I'll miss my chance." She smiled knowingly, a distant look on her face.

"Is it someone you care about?" Lee gave her a huge grin.

"Yes." She gave him a sweet smile. "And I'd like to have a pitcher of that chai to go please!" He handed her some money and she was back in two minutes with a large pitcher of delicious icy vanilla chai. He thanked her and raced out the door. It only took him three minutes to find the Kazekage's office building. As it turned out, he had only taken an odd turn off a side street. He thought he'd walked a really long time earlier but assumed he had probably been going in large circles.

He walked up the stairs to the third and topmost floor. It was warmer up here than on the lower levels but that was to be expected. He knocked on the door and waited to be let in. There was no answer, however, so he knocked again. Nothing. He was worried that his icy treat was going to melt before he was able to share it with the man he so yearned for. He tried opening the door but found it was locked. Dismayed, he knocked once more in desperation, hoping Gaara would just pop out of the doorway.

Gaara woke up to a soft rapping sound. He stretched and looked around, wondering when he'd fallen asleep and just how long he'd been like that. The rapping sounded again and it pounded in his ears, giving him a headache. _'Why can't people just leave me alone?' _He felt sick and the intruder wasn't helping. He supposed the heat was getting to him and was starting to worry that he might have to cancel with Lee later if he didn't feel better soon. They knocked on the door again. This time Gaara got up and walked sluggishly over to the door, gritting his teeth and holding his head.

"What do you want?" He snapped as he opened the door. He was surprised however when he saw Lee standing there, looking slightly hurt, and not Temari who was usually the one to bother him during the day. His heart sank when he saw Lee's expression. It was odd but he didn't like to see him upset. He quickly opened the door and stepped back, allowing Lee enough room to walk by him. "Sorry Lee, I didn't know it was you. I thought it was someone else."

The pout on Lee's face disappeared in an instant as he zoomed into the room past Gaara, who shut the door behind him. He held out the pitcher for Gaara and beamed. "I got some iced vanilla chai to share. It's nice and cold and I figured you'd be warm and like a nice break after being stuck in here all afternoon. Gaara looked at the clock and noticed it was 4:37pm. _'How did I manage to sleep that long? Shit. So much for getting all my work done today.'_ He looked back to Lee and the corners of his lips twitched upward slightly. Lee knew Gaara's smile all too well and didn't miss it, even if it was only there for a split second. Suddenly Gaara whirled around and wretched into the trash bin, effectively emptying his stomach of the whole two pieces of toast he'd eaten this morning. He felt horrible. _'Perfect fucking timing.'_

Lee was horrified. He quickly rushed over to Gaara and rubbed his back soothingly. Gaara muttered all sorts of apologies and stood up fast only to lose his balance to dizziness. Lee caught him quickly, supporting him around the waist. Gaara closed his eyes and leaned against Lee's chest, shaking his head back and forth. He was so tired. He was scared of how weak he felt and knew that Lee could snap his neck right there and then if he wanted and he wouldn't be able to fight back. Gaara knew he wouldn't though. He knew he was safe with Lee.

Lee put a hand to Gaara's forhead and gasped. He had a high fever. Lee carefully walked him over to the sofa where he'd been sleeping only minutes before. Gaara frowned when Lee released his hold on him and leaned back keeping his eyes closed. The light burned his eyes and every small sound resonated through his head like a thousand needles. He could see the light in the room grow dimmer through his eyelids as he listened to Lee scuffling through the room, drawing the shades on the windows. Then he heard the fan turn on. _'That's why it's so damned warm in here. When did I turn the fan off?'_ It was then that he realized he'd completely forgotten to turn it on this morning and mentally cursed himself for forgetting something so simple. With the shades drawn, lights off, and fan on, it instantly felt fifteen degrees cooler in the room, something Gaara accepted gratefully.

He heard a crinkling sound and was slightly startled when the couch dipped as Lee sat next to him. "Here." He said softly. He held the cold, hard glass up to the redhead's mouth, pressing lightly on his lower lip. "Drink this. It'll cool you off."

Gaara took the glass and tried to drink but his hand was shaking so violently that he could barely grip the glass. Lee gently grasped Gaara's hand around the glass and held it up to his mouth so he could drink. He was surprised to see that Gaara's hands were only slightly smaller than his. He was tall and lanky, so it fit, but Gaara was shorter than him by about a foot. They didn't look awkward though. They were pale and smooth and his long slender fingers were so soft, something he didn't expect. He expected them to be rough, not like his own, but still worn. He loved Gaara's hands and had to fight back to urge to kiss all his fingers one by one and his palm and the back of his hand, and travel up his arm and… _'No. I can't be thinking about think right now. He's very sick.'_

When Gaara had finished his chai, Lee placed the glass by the side of the couch and looked back at Gaara who still had his eyes closed. "Thank you Lee." Gaara hummed quietly. Lee nodded, just noticing the situation that he was in. He was nursing Gaara. He knew what this meant for the young male sitting next to him and was both honored that Gaara would let his guard down around him and worried about his health.

"You should get some sleep." He cooed softly in Gaara's ear. He went to slip off the couch but stopped when Gaara gave a disapproving grunt. He weakly grabbed his shirt, silently begging him to stay. Lee sidled over to the end of the couch to give Gaara room to lie down. It was a fairly large couch, enough room for four people to sit comfortably, but when Gaara lay down, he settled his head on Lee's lap. Lee was absolutely shocked by this but his heart soared. He awkwardly looked for a place to put his arm so he wouldn't put it on Gaara but found no other option so he draped it over the small male's tiny stomach.

Gaara was out cold. He unconsciously put his arm over Lee's and grabbed his hand while he slept. There was a slight frown on his face. Lee traced over every line, every detail of his delicate, porcelain face with his eyes. Without realizing it he slowly ran his fingers over Gaara's jaw line, sliding his thumb over the man's bottom lip, loving how soft it was and wondering what it would feel like to kiss him. He debated over this a moment, lost in a haze of bliss and caught himself as he was lowering his face to meet Gaara's. '_That would be an absolutely horrible! Disgusting! Cheating! No good thing to do! I shall NOT think of it!'_ He mentally kicked and punched himself, reminding himself to double his next training routine. He did not let his subconscious make any more advances on the vulnerable male sleeping on his lap but he did let his hand wander, caressing every inch of that perfect face he could without waking him. Then he slid his fingers over Gaara's cheek and cupped it gently in his hand. Gaara unconsciously leaned into the touch, which startled Lee. He thought he had awoken him. Gaara's whole body relaxed as he leaned into Lee's touch. His expression softened and his lips fell into a small smile. Lee was awestruck. He'd never seen Gaara smile like this before and knew it wouldn't last forever and would probably be the last time so he savored every moment of the peaceful bliss that surrounded them while he could.


	2. Chapter 2

It was nearly two in the morning when Gaara finally woke up. He remained motionless, going over everything that had happened earlier. He remembered waking up and feeling very sick. Then Lee was there. He had let his guard down. He knew that if it had been anyone else, he would have sucked it up and acted perfectly fine but there was something about Lee that made him feel safe. He knew that Lee would never take advantage of the situation he was in and was pretty sure he wouldn't hurt him anyway. He trusted Lee. He didn't know why the taller male made him feel this way but he was happy. Gaara was actually happy. If it surprised anyone, it surprised Gaara the most. He never thought he'd ever be happy, yet here he was, lying with his head in Lee's lap, content as ever. He shifted slightly and noticed a pressure across his stomach. Lee's arm was draped over him. His hand was lying on top of Lee's and their fingers were entwined.

His heart didn't pound anymore. Instead, there was a warm fluttering in his chest and it lifted him somehow. He felt as if he could lay there forever. There was something in him though, that told him that this was a bad idea, that this was one of those barriers he wasn't supposed to cross. He knew he would never do this with any of his other friends. He braced himself for the blow he was sure was going to come. There had to be some sort of repercussion for being this happy. When it never came he was surprised to feel a soft touch glide across his cheek. He lifted his free hand to hold Lee's and gently held it against his cheek. He leaned into the touch and sighed, momentarily losing himself. He opened his eyes to see Lee staring down at him, shock evident on his face.

Gaara quickly let go of his hand and sat up, freeing himself from Lee's hold. He looked down at the floor, trying to avert Lee's eyes. He didn't think he'd done anything wrong but he couldn't bring himself to look at his friend. Then he felt a warm hand press against his forehead.

"Your fever is gone." He looked over to Lee who was smiling at him. "How do you feel?"

_'Stupid. Dazed. Confused. What the fuck is happening to me?'_

"Better. Thank you Lee." His mouth twitched upward ever so slightly in the smile that Lee knew only too well. "I'm hungry though." Lee frowned.

"When was the last time you ate, Gaara-sama?" Gaara sighed. He knew he could never share these feelings with Lee so long as he stayed so formal with him. It made their connection seem less personal and it made him sad to think that.

"I had some toast around eight this morning." Lee's expression went stern.

"Well it's no wonder you got so sick!" Gaara was surprised by this sudden energetic outburst. "You need to eat properly to keep up your strength, especially in this kind of heat! You live in a desert; you should know that better than anyone." Gaara felt ashamed. He couldn't understand how Lee could make him feel so many different things but knew Lee was upset and he didn't want that. The truth was, he never really ate much to begin with. He wasn't anorexic but didn't see the point of eating anything when you weren't hungry. He was usually too busy to worry about food anyway. Maybe he should eat better, if only to make Lee happy. "Come on, let's go." He stood and helped Gaara to his feet, then led them out the door and Gaara locked it behind them.

"Where are we going?" His voice hinted curiosity.

"We're going to get you something to eat." Gaara followed Lee silently, surprised that he cared so much about his health. He was grateful for it and that warm fluttering started to burn in his chest.

When they got outside, Lee was amazed by what he saw. All the village people were outside as if it were daytime. It seemed to be more crowded than usual. There were lights lit up all through the street, bobbing in the slight breeze from their strings or lamp posts. All the shops were lit up, people going to and fro. It was a side of the village Lee had never seen before. A cool, light breeze swept over them and Lee turned to Gaara, a huge smile on his face.

"This is amazing." Gaara was amused by Lee's excitement.

"When the heat grows too much for us, we switch everything around. People usually stay indoors during the day for the most part and come out at night when it's cooler and the sun isn't beating down on us."

"It's incredible!" Lee exclaimed, bobbing up and down slightly. He never knew the village was this beautiful at night and wondered why the city wasn't always like this. They would make a killing on tourism. "The lights are so pretty! Everything just feels so… alive." He sighed the last word, completely lost in the splendor of it all.

Gaara let out his low, deep purr of a chuckle that immediately snapped Lee to his senses. He loved that laugh more than anything else, except maybe for Gaara himself, and found himself thinking of different ways he could make the redhead do it again, wondering if any of them would work.

"So where's the best place to eat around here then?" He folded his hands behind his head and rocked back on his heels, silently observing the lighted shops scattered across the street.

"There's a little place around the corner that I like to go to. It's small and not as well visited as the stalls on the main street, but the food is very good." Lee nodded and motioned for Gaara to lead the way.

They walked in silence as Gaara led them down the street. Lee was looking around, observing the village he thought he knew so well and Gaara kept glancing at him. He liked Lee this way. He was so alive and vibrant when he was happy. He found himself staring at him, carefully memorizing the curves of his face, the dimples that formed on his cheeks as they were scrunched up when he smiled. His soft hair bounced ever so slightly with every step he took and swished around with every sharp turn of his head or light gust of wind. He wanted to touch it, just to see if it was really as soft as it looked but refrained from doing so, deciding it would be too awkward and he had no idea what Lee's reaction would be. Then Lee looked over at him and their eyes met. Gaara quickly darted his eyes away and could feel heat rising in his face and knew he was blushing. Lee didn't say anything about it though. Either he didn't notice or he was too nice to comment on it and didn't want to start an awkward conversation.

Gaara led them around the corner that led to the street Lee had wandered into by accident earlier. Lee could see the tea house a little ways down the street, a soft light spilling out the window and into the night. He recognized the girl that had served him earlier sitting at one of the windows and wondered if she was still working. He guessed she wasn't as her hair was down and she was staring up at the clear, starry night, spacing out.

They didn't walk into the teahouse, however, and walked past it toward a slightly smaller building he didn't even notice earlier. He probably wouldn't have noticed it now either except for the dim lights that were shining through the windows.

They made their way into the small building. There were six tables, only one of which was occupied by two other people. It was a clean, quiet place. Dim ceiling lights cast a soft glow on them as they sat at a table in the far corner. Lee was glad the tables were small. He wanted to sit as close to the young Kazekage as possible, which was possible even sitting directly across from him. All he had to do was stretch out his arms a bit and he could reach him.

An old lady, who Lee quickly learned was named Toki-san, hobbled over and lit the candle in the middle of the table. Lee wasn't surprised when she asked Gaara if he wanted "the usual" and he nodded. He figured the redhead came here often. It definitely seemed like the kind of place he would go.

"And what would you like dear?" She turned to Lee and smiled, wrinkles creasing her old, wise face.

"I'll have some yellow curry please." He said respectfully.

"Of course dear." She turned around and shuffled back into the kitchen. Lee watched her walk away and get swallowed by the surprisingly bright light of the kitchen until she closed the door behind her.

Lee looked around silently. He felt awkward just sitting there. His sudden spontaneity vanished as quickly as it had come when he walked into the tiny tavern. He could feel Gaara's sharp gaze on him and tried his best not to look at him. He wouldn't know what to say; he'd never been this close to the Kazekage before. He fidgeted in his seat a bit and accidentally rubbed his leg against Gaara's and blushed immediately.

"S-sorry, Gaara-sama." He sputtered.

"It's fine." He paused for a second. "Are you ok Lee? Suddenly you don't look too well." Cautiously, Lee looked at him. To anyone else, Gaara's face would have seemed blank and expressionless but Lee, knowing the Kazekage so well, saw small traits of worry etched across his pale, flawless face.

"Yes, Gaara-sama. I am fine." Lee gave him a small smile and knew Gaara knew he was lying. Gaara narrowed his eyes a bit, staring at his tall friend. Then he let out a low chuckle, which made Lee look up at him, shocked.

"Lee." Lee nodded, eyes wide. "How many times do I have to tell you, there's no need for formalities? You are my friend so there's no need to be so formal." The slightest hint of a smile danced across his lips. Lee's cheeks flushed a deep crimson color.

"But to not be formal would be rude and disrespectful. A subordinate shouldn't treat his superiors with anything but the utmost respect." This comment caught Gaara off guard and he was shocked. He never thought of himself as superior to Lee. He thought they were equals. He even looked up to him in some aspects.

"I'm not your superior, Lee. We are equals."

"That's not true. You are the Kazekage; you run your village. I am merely a jonin. I work under the Hokage, under you. I am lesser." The way Lee's voice faltered a bit at the end troubled Gaara. He had always thought of Lee as the cheerful bright ball of sunshine that was so determined to be the best. He didn't understand why but it hurt him to see Lee look so sad.

"Rank isn't important. We are all people after all."

"Yeah, but still…"

"So stop worrying. You are my equal and that's that." Lee looked over at him, shocked. "There are to be no more formalities between us. We are friends." Lee dared not argue. He simply nodded and smiled.

"O-ok."

Any further conversation was ceased as Toki-san came back with a tray of food and placed it on the table. Gaara nodded to her.

"Thank you Toki-san." She smiled, showing cracked, discolored teeth and bowed.

"Of course Gaara-sama. You are always welcome here."

She walked away and left the two young men to their meal. Not much was said as they ate as they were both pretty hungry. Neither of them really knew what to say anyway so they both thought it was for the best. Toki-san came over to see how they were doing and if they needed anything about half way through their meal. They told her they were all set and nodded their thanks as she walked away again.

Lee finished his last bite of rice and put his chopsticks down. He looked at Gaara who had finished eating a few minutes before him and was waiting patiently for him to finish. He gave Gaara a huge grin when he saw the small redhead was smiling at him. He felt a lot better now that he had some good food in him.

"That was fantastic!" He gushed. "Oh my god that was the best curry I've had in forever!" Gaara wasn't at all surprised by Lee's over-excited reaction. He was sure that if Lee could spout hearts from his eyes he would have. He gave a small chuckle at this thought, which earned him a curious smile from Lee.

Toki-san came back and handed a small folded up paper out to Lee, who guessed it was the bill. He reached out to grab it but Gaara pushed his hand away. The slight contact sent shivers up Lee's spine.

"I'll take it. Thank you Toki-san." She nodded and went back to her duties in the kitchen. Lee reached for the bill again but Gaara held it out of his reach.

"But Gaara-sa… Uh, Gaara. I'll get it. Really. I was the one who suggested we go out anyway."

"Lee," he said as he unfolded and looked at it. "As you are my guest it would be improper for me to ask you to buy me food." He put the money in the paper and set it down on the table.

"Yeah but…"

"Besides, I don't mind. That's what friends do." Then Gaara did something Lee had only seen him do once before. He smiled. It was a real smile that didn't stop at the corners of his mouth and extended deep into his cheeks. Lee was in awe and was surprised to see that he had two small dimples in his cheeks. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and he was sure he was the first person who had ever seen it. He beamed at Gaara who suddenly snapped awake, as if he had been spacing out, and his smile vanished. They walked out of the small building and into the dark, star-lit street.

"You have a nice smile Gaara." Lee looked at him, silently hoping he would smile for him again. He only stared back blankly. "You should smile more often." He urged and laughed when Gaara only gave him a stern look in response.

Gaara sighed as he looked at the dwindling pile of papers before him. No matter how hard he worked, he couldn't get rid of everything. At least the pile was getting smaller anyway. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, placing his hand over his eyes. He had a migraine and at least six more hours of work ahead of him.

He let his mind wander a bit, deciding he needed a break. His thoughts carried him back to earlier this week, the first day of Lee's visit. He was pleased when Lee had told him that he wanted to be in Suna for his vacation. But when Lee hugged him, he just didn't know what to think. He was happy but confused at the same time. The next thing he remembered after that was waking up, feeling wretchedly sick, and Lee taking care of him. He was surprised when he woke up and Lee was still with him. He hadn't expected Lee to stay but was glad that he did. Then they went out to eat together. The food had been good but he couldn't stop thinking about Lee and how he was making him feel. The weird feelings he'd slowly developed up to that point were growing like wildfire inside him. Then he had smiled. It was a genuine smile that he'd only seen other people smile and had never done so himself. It startled him. He didn't know what had possessed him to do so but it just felt so right. He'd never had a reason to smile before and now… Lee was the reason. Lee was changing him. It worried him a little but he was happy.

He felt bad though. That first day was the only day they had spent any real time together. He'd been so caught up in his work, trying to get everything done, he hadn't had any extra time. Lee had visited him a few times and asked if he wanted to hang out but Gaara had to refuse and stay locked up in his office.

A light breeze wafted in through the window, gently ruffling Gaara's hair. The weather had calmed down quite a bit and ever since the day before, people had started going back to their normal routines. He listened to the hustle and bustle of the village outside and wondered if Lee was out there with them and secretly wished he would come save him from his office hibernation.

No sooner had he amused the thought, he heard a knock on the door. Before he could even utter a reply his door swung open, slamming on the wall behind it. A very angry Lee stood in the doorway, looking around. He slammed the door shut behind him and when he saw Gaara, his angry expression quickly shot into a huge grin.

There was definitely something off about him as he walked toward Gaara's desk, stumbling slightly. He slammed a hand onto the desk, right in front of Gaara, and put his other on his hip. He leaned forward so he was only an inch or so from Gaara's face and almost fell off balance. Gaara was shocked. He'd never seen Lee act so oddly before.

"Hellooo, Gaara-kuuun~" He sang out the greeting as if it were his favorite song. "What brings you here, hot stuff?" He giggled. He plopped down and sat on Gaara's lap, effectively straddling him and anchoring him to his chair. Gaara's face immediately went bright red and his eyes widened.

"Lee? What's wrong with you?" He asked slowly and cautiously. It was hard for him to think when he was this close to Lee, who made a very serious face.

"I'm very upset." He paused for a second to throw his finger into the air for effect. "That so called _firewater_ you silly sand people have isn't spicy at all. It's disgusting." He giggled and wrapped his arms around Gaara's neck. Gaara had no idea how to respond to this. Lee was drunk. He'd heard how Lee got when he was drunk and didn't want to anger the tall boy who was currently pinning him to his chair.

"Lee." He said carefully. "Firewater isn't spicy water. It's whiskey." Lee looked up at him, obviously shocked.

"Seriously?" His mouth was a wide "o". Gaara nodded silently. Lee just giggled again and nuzzled his face into Gaara's neck, planting tiny kisses all over it.

"Well that's a funny thing to call it. Someone might get confused. What if I had drank it? I'd get drunk."

"Lee, you are drunk." Lee only giggled again.

"Really? That sucks. Ha ha." He hummed into Gaara's neck, tracing small circles on his chest with his finger. Gaara was in over his head. He had absolutely no idea what to do. He lightly pushed on Lee's shoulders, getting him to sit up.

"You need to rest. Some sleep would be good for you." He tried to push Lee off of him but he wouldn't budge. Lee grabbed Gaara's hands and forced them behind his head. He gripped them in place tightly as he leaned into Gaara, his face only millimeters away. His eyes narrowed seductively and his breath was hot against Gaara's face, making his heart pound fiercely in his chest. He was too shocked to move. He wanted to be close to Lee but at the same time he knew he had to get away from him.

"Silly Gaara." He took his free hand and traced Gaara's bottom lip with his thumb. "Don't you know I love you?" Gaara's heart exploded in his chest. His mind swam with ten thousand things at once and he couldn't think. He never thought it was possible that anyone could love him, yet here it was, out in the open. _'No. He didn't mean it.'_ He tried to reason with himself. _'He's drunk. There's no way. It can't be true.'_ Then he felt Lee go limp on top of him as he spun back to reality. Lee had passed out and fallen asleep on top of him. Gaara was glad he had fallen asleep and not tried to… well, _do_ anything. He knew that if he had, Lee would never forgive himself when he sobered up. He was just that kind of guy.

Gaara slid off his chair, picking Lee up and carrying him over to the couch. He staggered under his weight a bit. Despite how lanky and skinny Lee was, he was heavier than he looked. He placed him on the couch gently, sliding a pillow under his head. He sat on the edge of the couch and tenderly caressed Lee's cheek. Drunk people were always so blunt with everything but he knew there was always some sort of truth behind what they said. He wondered if Lee truly felt that way about him as he smoothed Lee's bangs back, out of his eyes.

He stood up and walked back over to his desk. He sat down, pulled out some papers and started scribbling on them. He still had to finish his work, no matter what. He stared over at Lee who was sleeping peacefully. Then he wondered how he felt about him and his heart sank. He knew something was there but _love_? He'd never loved anyone before. How was he to be sure?


	3. Chapter 3

Lee was nice and warm when he woke up. It must be late in the afternoon, he decided, judging by how hot the sun was on his back. He could hear people talking quietly but he kept his eyes shut. He didn't know where he was and tried to recall what had happened last night. He remembered going back to the tea shop. It was a nice temperature so he didn't want to get something cold again. Then he saw something on the sign called firewater. He figured it was some kind of super spicy water so he ordered one. He remembered getting a tiny glass and paying the waitress what he considered to be way too much for such a little amount, even if it was fancy. Then he remembered drinking it all in one sip and how horrible it tasted. After that, his mind was blank.

He didn't open his eyes until the voices disappeared and he heard a door shut. He saw Gaara sitting at his desk, intently reading a long scroll. He didn't look pleased. Lee yawned and sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Gaara looked up from his scroll at the sleepy Lee. He hoped he was no longer drunk and would be normal again today.

Lee walked over to him and sat in a chair on the other side of the desk.

"Hello Gaara." He smiled sheepishly, wondering how he had gotten here. "Do you, uh… know how I got here by any chance?" He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. Gaara put the scroll down and folded his hands in front of him, glad to see Lee was back to normal.

"You were drunk and you just walked in." Lee's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Obviously he knew what he was like when he was drunk too. "I didn't hurt anyone did I? I didn't hurt you… did I?" He jumped out of his seat and over to Gaara, clearly examining him for any damage he might have caused him. Gaara only chuckled in amusement.

"No Lee. You didn't hurt me. I am perfectly fine." That was a lie. He was hurt. He was confused and dazed and just didn't know what to do anymore.

Lee looked relieved but he was still tense. "Did I do anything though? Did I…" His face turned a deep red. "Did I say anything?" He looked down at his feet and played with his hands nervously. There was no way Gaara could tell Lee what had happened. He knew Lee would be upset with himself if he knew and he liked him happy.

"No. You just walked in, mumbled something about firewater not being spicy and passed out." Gaara pointed to a spot close to the door, indicating falsely where Lee had passed out.

"Oh." Lee calmed down completely this time, placing a hand over his chest. His heart was beating wildly. He didn't know what he would have done if he had told Gaara his deep feelings for him. He wouldn't have been able to face him again. He was glad they could still be friends and have nothing weird between them. He laughed and leaned against the desk. "Well that's good." He looked around trying to find something that would tell him what day it was. "How long have I been asleep?" He finally inquired.

"Well, it was around three in the afternoon when you passed out. It's almost four pm now." Lee looked surprised.

"I've only been out for an hour?" Gaara shook his head.

"No, it's been about twenty five hours." Lee stared at him for a second. Then it hit him. He'd been asleep for an entire day. He looked worried again.

"I'm so sorry Gaara. I didn't mean to. You should have woken me up and told me to leave." Gaara looked down at his cluttered desk and smiled slightly. He felt embarrassed but he didn't know why.

"I didn't mind. Even though you were asleep, it was nice to have company.

"So I wasn't a nuisance then?" Lee's voice sounded hopeful. Gaara only shook his head no. Lee laughed, relieved. "Well I'm glad." He beamed at Gaara, who looked up at him immediately. "And I'm glad I was able to keep you company, even if I couldn't enjoy it myself." Gaara smiled at him, losing himself in the gorgeous onyx orbs that were Lee's eyes. "Wait." Gaara snapped back to reality. _'Damn.'_ He was really getting tired of spacing out all the time. "If I was asleep that long, does that mean… Were you here the whole time?" This amused Gaara. As if he would be able to stay away. Really? What was Lee thinking?

"I had a lot of work to do so I was here anyway. And like I said. I enjoyed the company." He smirked as Lee blushed. He liked it when Lee was embarrassed. He liked the way his face got all red and he got that sheepish grin on his face and how he played with his thumbs to distract himself from looking at anyone. It was… cute.

"W-well." He cleared his throat nervously. "This is going to be our last night here. We're leaving at dawn. So I was wondering. Would you mind if we did something tonight?" Gaara's eyes narrowed and his smirk grew wider. He knew he was making Lee nervous and he liked it. "I-I mean, we don't have to do anything but maybe we could just, like, hang out or something?" He looked at Gaara hopefully.

"I'll be waiting." It was short and simple. Lee's face lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning.

"Great! I'll be back around eight." He turned around and zoomed out of the room.

_'Fuck. Did I just flirt with him? Shit.'_ He couldn't believe it. He just flirted with Lee and it felt great. _'Maybe he does have feelings for me._' Gaara entertained the idea for a moment until the pile of papers on his desk brought him back to reality. All this work didn't seem so bad, knowing what was going to happen later.

Not two hours later he was already half way through his paperwork. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in." He said as he finished writing something on a paper and set it aside. He was surprised when Matsuri and her team walked in. They looked very worn and tired. "Welcome back. How did it go?" Matsuri walked over to him and handed him a scroll.

"We delivered it successfully. Then we stayed a day to rest and he gave us this while we were leaving. He said it was important and that we were lucky to be involved in 'something as wonderful as this'." She emphasized with air quotes, obviously amused. "He was a little odd but seemed nice enough." Gaara nodded and put the scroll down. "What's going on anyway? Is it really that important?" She smiled at him curiously.

"Yes, it's quite important. Thank you for doing such a great job." He took some money out of a pouch in one of his desk draws and divided it between the three. "You all did well. Mission accomplished."

"So is there anything new for us to do then?" Matsuri was eager to get back to work but her teammates looked sick at the mention of more work. Gaara immediately thought of Lee and his team and was very amused. He shook his head.

"No. You two," He pointed at her temporary teammates. "can go back to whatever it was you were doing before this mission." They nodded, bowed and left the room. "You," He turned back to Matsuri. "are to take a break and meet me outside this building at eight tomorrow morning for training."

"Yes sensei!" she bowed and ran out of the room. He smiled to himself. He was fond of his only student. She was a very nice kid and she was always enthusiastic about everything he taught her.

He picked up the scroll and examined it, turning it over in his hands. A couple months ago, Suna had a bit of a scuffle with a rogue ninja colony. A lot of people got hurt and Suna suffered greatly. While Konoha was too far away, members of the Hidden Lightning village came to their aid right away. Figuring it would be good to have closer allies than Konoha, he quickly sought an alliance with the Lightning village.

Their village is about three quarters the size of Suna but they are very powerful. Their ninjas have had excellent training and are in top condition. However, as the smaller side always does when bargaining for something, they want an anchor to make sure they stay on good terms with the larger side. Gaara was a bit annoyed by this but figured he had no other alternative. He opened the scroll and read it carefully.

_Subaku no Gaara,_

_ Leader of the Village Hidden in the Sand,_

_ We are glad to see that you have agreed to our requests. I and my council have carefully read over your request. We agree to everything you have asked for. We will:_

_Come to your aid if possible, presuming we are in a fit state to extend ourselves to your need,_

_Allow safe refuge for any travelers from your village at any given time,_

_Stay on friendly terms with Konoha, the Hidden Leaf village, providing they do not attack us first and we have no reason to believe harm will befall us due to them,_

_Plan with you a bi-monthly progress meeting to ensure things are running smoothly._

_And open trade between our villages for items such as battle weapons, clothes, food, etc..._

_ However, before diplomacy can be completed, there is one more thing I would like to ask of you. My daughter is of the age where marriage would be an exceptional route for her to take. Since there is no one within our village that she fancies, it would be of the greatest honor if she were able to wed someone from your village. Because she is my daughter, if you agree, I wish it to be with someone of great authority so I know she is in good hands. I only want the best for my daughter and believe that this marriage would not only make her happy, but also be the perfect seal to our alliance._

_ I look forward to your response. Thank you for your time._

_ Leader of The Village Hidden in the Lightning,_

_ Gando Izuma_

Gaara read the letter over several times, biting back a bitter taste in his mouth. He knew something like this was going to happen. His daughter was going to be the anchor. Of course this wasn't anything new to him as he'd seen his father deal diplomacy with other villages many times before. That's how his mother had come to be so. She came from a tiny village not too far from Suna. Her father was the leader of that village and Gaara's father had just become the Kazekage. His father was a smart man but he was exceedingly arrogant. He knew her father didn't like him, but knew he couldn't refuse when he'd asked for her hand to tie the bond between the two villages. It was a simple choice: agree to his demands or get obliterated by a village ten times your size. When Gaara's mother died, however, her father went mad. He sent every man in his village to attack Suna but they were destroyed. He was allowed to live so as to set an example for anyone else who tried to defy the great power Suna. He had gone back to his village and killed everyone that was left. Then he set fire to the village and ran himself through. That was the end of the tiny village and that territory had been empty ever since.

Gaara's biggest problem now was to find a suitable authoritative figure for Gando's daughter to marry. He had a feeling that if he denied this request, the alliance would not happen. Or worse, he might start a bitter relationship that might end in war eventually. He did not want to risk that. He had to find someone.

He did not envy the man that agreed to be her husband however. He'd met her once before when she had come along with her father to meet him and tour the sandy desert village. She was a whiny, spoiled child that wouldn't take no for an answer. It also didn't help that she was fourteen and far less mature than any other girl he'd ever known. She and Matsuri were the same age. Matsuri, however, was level headed, capable of taking care of herself, and not in need of a babysitter.

He sighed, rolled the scroll up and put it in the top drawer of his desk. He would write back in a few weeks. He had a few meetings he'd have to go to first to discuss this with members of his council and inform Lady Tsunade of his final decision. They had decided that they were going to inform each other of any diplomacy plans and actions. They were sister villages now and thus everything that one village did affected the other directly. He would head to Konoha in a few weeks for their bi-monthly meeting.

Gaara glared at the clock for the fifth time in the past thirty minutes. He had finished his paperwork an hour ago and hoped Lee would show up early. It was a nice change to have everything done at a reasonable time. He had set his mind on spending time with Lee so much that he engrossed himself in his work, working extra hart to get it all done before he came over.

He let out a low hiss as the minute hand finished another revolution marking exactly eight thirty. It could be possible that Lee had forgotten about him. He didn't blame him; he wasn't very interesting. Maybe Lee didn't like him after all. Maybe he regretted being here and was just hiding from him until he could leave in the morning. That thought made his heart sink a little but it quickly jumped again when his door swung open and a frazzled looking Lee stumbled into his office.

"Gaara! Om my god I'm sooo sorry!" He pleaded apologetically. He continued stuttering apologies until Gaara raised a hand to silence him. He stood still and looked at Gaara silently with wide eyes. Gaara couldn't help but think how cute he was all nervous.

"Lee, calm down. It's no big deal." It was a big deal. He was very upset. He thought Lee had abandoned him or something. _'You big idiot. Can't you see I love you?'_ His thought surprised him but couldn't think of anything else it could be. He was sure of it. Everything that he felt about Lee. Everything that changed him. Everything that told him to stop and he ignored. It was love. He loved Lee and it made him happier than he had ever been before to realize it.

"Gaara, are you ok?" Lee waved his hand in front of Gaara's eyes, who snapped to when he heard his name. He'd never spaced out so badly before but wasn't upset or embarrassed. He'd never felt so happy before.

"Yes." He waved Lee's hand away and looked at his confused face. He wanted to tell Lee everything but held his tongue. He knew that if Lee didn't feel the same way, it could cause detrimental effects to their relationship and the last thing he wanted to do was to upset him or their friendship. He wished he could just pry Lee's brain open and see how he felt about him. Then again, that would just make everything too easy and where was the fun in that? "Let's go." He grabbed Lee's arm and ushered him out of his office, turning the lights off and locking the door behind him.

"What would you like to do?" He asked as they walked out of the building and into the street, which was an interesting rouge color, due to the retreating sun.

"I don't know. I was hoping maybe we could hang out at your house or something." Gaara was shocked. There was no hesitation in his voice. It sounded hopeful even, like he was going to ask anyway.

"Uh, ok. Sure." Heat burst into his chest when Lee flashed him a huge smile. He was so cute. He just wanted to…

"Cool! I've never seen your house before. This is so exciting." Gaara's heart melted. He was going to die by the end of the night, he just knew it, and this boy was going to be the cause of his death.

Gaara led them down the street. They passed Temari who just gave them an odd look and walked by without saying anything. Gaara was glad she didn't decide to stop. She was normally very nosy and he didn't feel like explaining why he was taking Lee to his home. As far as she knew, they were barely acquaintances. She never thought of him as the type that would have a personal relationship beyond that point and refused to acknowledge the fact that they were friends.

"So what was so devastating that you had to keep me waiting anyway?" Gaara chuckled and Lee looked at him, eyebrows raised. He had never heard Gaara make a joke before. His chest constricted and he knew he had to say something tonight. If he didn't he would surely explode and he had no idea when the next time he would see him would be. His chance might be gone by then. He didn't want to miss it.

"Tenten has been having issues with Neji. She likes him and he basically refuses to notice her. I know he likes her but he's too much of an idiot to notice her advances. Thus he never does anything in return. She doesn't know what to do. I told her to just tell him how she feels. She said she couldn't. I'm going to talk to him when we get back to Konoha. I just love playing matchmaker." He said it sarcastically but Gaara could see the softness behind his eyes. He cared so much about his friends and it made him a little jealous.

"And she talked to you about this?" Gaara was a little surprised. He always thought these were the kinds of things girls talked about with each other, not with guys.

"Well she needed some girl time and none of her girlfriends are here. So, since I am her best friend and I am gay I guess that makes me the next best candidate." He laughed nervously. He was openly gay but wasn't sure if Gaara knew or if it would bother him. In fact, Gaara was shocked. All the times he had been developing feelings for Lee, he had never once thought of himself being homosexual. It just made everything so much easier and so much more difficult at the same time. On the positive side, it would make getting close to Lee easier. On the negative end, if it got out, it could lose him his respect from many of his people. When his father was Kazekage, he had made it law that no one in the village was to partake in any homosexual activities. Those that were found guilty were killed. He didn't want to risk banishing anyone only to have them join the enemy, thus making them stronger. It also set an example for the rest of the village. He wanted to build an army and the best way to do that was, he thought, to basically breed his people and raise the children to be fighters. He hated his father for the kind of leader he was. The odd part was that a lot of people agreed with him and, although it had calmed down a bit, the tradition of strict heterosexuality stayed intact.

This thought made his heart sink. No matter what he did he couldn't be with Lee openly. He was destined to be alone and was stupid for thinking otherwise.

Gaara just nodded at Lee who was looking relatively uncomfortable. "I think she should just tell him how she feels. It would make everything a hell of a lot easier." He said stiffly, wondering if he was talking about Tenten or himself.

"Yeah, that's what I said but she won't listen. Oh well. It'll figure itself out eventually. These things always do." He smiled and shot a sideways glance at the suddenly moody redhead walking beside him. He hoped he hadn't upset him but he was going to find out tonight anyway. There was no going back now.

They stopped in front of a little, single story house. Lee was surprised. He would have thought Gaara would own a mansion or something. Even his house was bigger than this. Gaara unlocked the door and walked inside, holding it open for Lee. When Lee walked in he was shocked by what he saw. They were in the living room and the walls were a light tan color, the carpet was a deep red and the couch and matching armchair were cream. Everything was neat and tidy and there were even a few decorations on the walls. It was so… not Gaara. It didn't match his personality at all. There were even red curtains in the windows. Gaara was amused by Lee's confused expression.

"Temari feels the need to mother me. Apparently she doesn't think I can take care of myself so the first day I moved here she decorated everything."

"That's so nice of her." Lee grinned. It did look nice. He just wished it had more of Gaara's personality in it.

"I suppose." He motioned to the couch. "Sit down if you'd like. I'll go make some tea." He turned and walked into what Lee assumed was the kitchen.

Lee sat down on the couch. It was really soft and comfortable and felt new, as if it was barely ever used. Then again, it probably wasn't used often. Gaara spent most of his time in his office. He suddenly felt sorry for the house, as if it were neglected. He looked around and studied the few paintings on the walls. They were nice but definitely not Gaara's tastes. Then he noticed a small picture. It was the only one in the whole room and, he guessed, probably the whole house. It was a picture of Gaara, Temari and Kankuro as children. Gaara was the only one not smiling. He thought it was cute and secretly wished he'd known Gaara when they were younger.

He heard Gaara come back in the room and looked over at him, smiling. Gaara handed him a cup of tea and sat down beside him on the couch.

"Thank you." Gaara nodded. Lee sipped his tea, which was super hot, and looked at the picture again. "You guys were so cute when you were younger." Gaara just gave him a look that said '_What the fuck is wrong with you?'_ and Lee laughed. "Oh come on. You have to admit it. You were adorable." Gaara blushed slightly and looked back down at his cup.

_'Fucking hormones.'_ He cursed at himself and sipped some of his tea.

There was an awkward silence in the room and both could feel the tension rising. Lee figured it was now or never. This was his last chance. "Hey Gaara." He placed his hand on Gaara's shoulder, who continued staring at his cup. "Gaara, I… There's something I…"

"Do you love me?"

"Wh-what?" Lee's face went beet red. Gaara looked up at him.

"Do you love me?" He stated the question. As if was so easy to answer something like that. Lee opened his mouth and sputtered.

"I uh… where did this come from all of a sudden?" He had a bad feeling about this.

"I lied to you."

_'Oh shit.'_

"When you were drunk and came into my office, you didn't just pass out. You…" His expression became confused. "You sat on me. Then you kept touching my face and cuddling up to me and burying your face in my neck." Lee looked horrified but was speechless. "And you kept kissing my neck. Then, when I tried to get you off of me and told you to get some sleep, you told me that you loved me." He paused for a second, and saw Lee's reaction, obviously fearing there was more. "Then you passed out." He finished with a quick huff, trying his best not to avoid Lee's eyes. He wasn't a coward. Lee, figuring it was his turn to explain, cleared his throat nervously.

"I uh…" He started shakily. "This was not the way I wanted you to find out." Gaara was shocked. He was sure Lee was going to say it was a mistake and he never would have said it if he wasn't drunk. His heart swelled to the point he thought it was going to explode and color shot into his face. "I'm so sorry, Gaara. That was horribly rude of me and I promise it will never happen again. I-it shouldn't have happened in the first place. I, uh… I'll just go." He stood up so quickly he got dizzy and stumbled across the room.  
A quiet, shaky voice stopped him in his hasty retreat. His hand froze on the doorknob. "Wait." Lee's heart pounded in his chest, each beat like thunder in his ears. Suddenly everything felt heavy and he was pulled from time and reality. But Gaara had told him to wait. Not to leave his sight, never to return, did not banish him, did not strike him. Gaara wanted him to stay. A soft touch on his right arm snapped him back to reality and he pulled his hand away from the doorknob as if it had been on fire. Slowly, he turned to face Gaara; confused, cautious eyes stared back at him. "Do you love me?"Lee paused for a moment to take a deep breath. He nodded, eyes locked on the aquamarine pools in front of him. He could stare at Gaara's eyes forever.

"Prove it." It was barely a whisper. All uncertainty and confusion fled Gaara's eyes as he stared demandingly back at Lee who was rather surprised. "W-what?" Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously. "If you're so certain that you're in love with me then prove it. Kiss me." It was a question, a demand, and a challenge all at once. Lee didn't have time to think before his body decided for him. He pulled Gaara in tight and pressed their lips together, not daring to break eye contact. His brain froze, unable to process the impossibility that was kissing Gaara. Lee gently cupped Gaara's cheek, finally feeling the silky smooth cream that was Gaara's skin. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world and Lee felt elated. Gaara's eyes fluttered as he relaxed into the kiss, giving Lee the perfect opportunity to lean Gaara's head back and kiss him deeper. The red head's eyes closed for all of a moment before he gently pulled himself away.

"Lee." Gaara's expression became unreadable. Was it disbelief? Sorrow, or anger perhaps? Whatever is was, it wasn't happy, and it definitely wasn't what Lee would have expected after something like that. "I can't be with you." His eyes shot up to meet Lee's. Quickly correcting his statement he added, "not openly at least." He frowned. Lee looked hurt and Gaara couldn't bear the thought that he was the one responsible.

Lee didn't know why Gaara couldn't love him openly. It hurt, but not being with Gaara would hurt so much more. He led Gaara to the couch and sat them both down, pulling Gaara close. "Tell me."

He told Lee of the Sand's laws against homosexuality and how his father molded the village. He felt sick telling him this. He just wished he could erase everything and though he was Kazekage, he couldn't just turn around and make homosexuality legal. There are too many people that would be against it. They'd turn against him and he didn't want that. He couldn't have that.

Lee was a little disappointed but he understood. "It doesn't matter. As long as I get to be with you, I will be happy." He smoothed his fingers over Gaara's cheek. His skin was so soft and warm. He absolutely loved it.

Gaara brought his hand up to Lee's and held it to his cheek. He softly nuzzled into it and kissed his palm sweetly, closing his eyes. "I love you, Lee."

He couldn't believe what just happened. He'd never imagined he'd be able to love someone. He understood now, about the connections of love people always talked about. He knew that he would do anything to stay like this. He'd do anything for Lee.

Lee had never seen Gaara so happy and was glad he was the one responsible. He brushed a few stray hairs out of Gaara's eyes and gave him a quick peck on the lips. Gaara smiled even wider and stood up.

"You didn't eat right? We should go get something."

"Why don't you cook for me? I'd love to try your cooking."

"I can't cook." Gaara protested. The last time he'd tried to cook he'd set his kitchen on fire. "And basically all I have is instant ramen." He pointed to the kitchen and narrowed his eyes, as if to prove something.

"That's perfect." Lee clapped his hands together and flashed Gaara a huge grin. He pushed Gaara into the kitchen and noticed a large part of the wall behind the stove was destroyed. "What happened to your wall?" He asked, surprised.

"I told you. I can't cook." He folded his arms and glared at the raven haired boy. Lee burst out laughing.

"Ha ha! Oh my god that's hilarious!" Gaara pouted. "You are too cute." Gaara's face flushed slightly and he went to a cupboard and pulled out two packages of ramen. He then proceeded to put the ramen into bowls with some hot water and seasoning and cover them. He crossed his arms across his chest and glared at the cooking noodles impatiently.

Lee wrapped his arms around Gaara's waist from behind and buried his face in his hair. "Does this mean I get to kiss the cook then?" He turned Gaara around and, without waiting for an answer, kissed him. Gaara definitely liked this. He decided he would have to learn how to cook now. Maybe he could learn how to make real ramen.

He felt Lee's lips part and his tongue slide out to glide over his lips. He opened his mouth and let Lee explore his mouth with his tongue as it gently slid over his. As soon as he moved his tongue it was attacked by Lee's. They battled fiercely until it became too hot to breathe and they pulled away. Gaara was disappointed; he wanted more.

_'Fucking oxygen.'_

Lee took the cover off a bowl and smelled it.

"It smells wonderful. I think it's ready." He giggled and Gaara couldn't help but think how adorable it was. He grabbed two pairs of chopsticks and they sat at the table to eat. It was surprisingly good, but probably only because he was in such a good mood. He knew he'd probably throw half of it out if Lee wasn't there. He hated instant ramen.

He watched in amusement as Lee slurped his noodles. _'I wonder what else he likes to eat.'_ He thought, deciding he'd like to cook for him again. He'd have to learn how to first of course. When Lee was done with his ramen he drank the broth and pushed his bowl away from him, giving Gaara a ridiculously adorable smile. Gaara wanted to jump on him and kiss him right there.

"Would you like some more? I can go make you some." He pointed toward the kitchen but Lee shook his head.

"No thanks. It was really good but I was wondering… Do you have any milk?" He tilted his head curiously. _'What an odd request.'_

"Sure." He went to get up to go get some but Lee got up before him and started toward the kitchen.

"Don't worry, I'll get it. You finish eating." Gaara sat down and nibbled on his noodles. They were getting cold and starting to taste gross.

"There isn't much left." Lee said from the doorway, frowning and holding up a nearly empty carton of milk.

"Don't worry about it. Help yourself." Gaara waved it away. It wasn't a big deal. He could go pick some up whenever he wanted.

"I don't want to drink the rest of it on you though." Gaara's eyes narrowed and he smiled at him.

"W-what?" Lee blushed. _'Did I do something?'_

"You're so cute." Lee's face got even redder. "It's only going to go to waste if you don't drink it. I can go get some tomorrow anyway." Lee nodded and turned back into the kitchen.

He came back a minute later with a glass in his hand and sat back at the table. He took a large gulp and looked over at Gaara who had decided that the ramen was too gross to torture himself into eating it.

"Would you like some?" He offered his glass to the redhead, who was still smiling at him. Gaara chuckled and shook his head.

"Enjoy it." He picked the bowls up off the table and brought them into the kitchen. He put them in the sink and leaned against the counter, placing a hand over his chest. His heart was pounding. He was so happy but he didn't know what to do next. He'd never been shown any of this. He didn't want Lee to think he was an idiot. He was so deep in thought that he was startled when a glass clinked on the counter next to him and a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist.

"What's wrong? You look down." Lee kissed his cheek gently.

"I…" He paused for a moment. He wasn't even sure what to say. "I don't know what to do. I've never done any of this before. I've never felt this before." He sighed. "I still don't understand."

"What don't you understand?" Gaara sighed, walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Lee followed and sat down next to him.

"I was born a killer. I wasn't even old enough to understand what death was when I first killed someone. My mother died when she had me. She hated me. My father used me as a weapon. Everyone in the village hated and feared me. I killed many many people. I even tried to kill you… twice. I don't understand how you can like me after everything I've done." Lee took his hand and laced their fingers together.

"It wasn't your fault your mother died. You couldn't have controlled something like that." Gaara shook his head and closed his eyes as a tear slid down his cheek. Lee wiped it away with his thumb and kissed him softly. "People are unfair. They fear anything they don't understand. And I've already forgiven you. I know it wasn't really you. It was the demon telling you to do it. Then, when you became Kazekage and Akatsuki tried to destroy Suna, you saved everyone. You are an amazing person, Gaara. Don't you dare think any differently." He pulled the sobbing boy in close to him. Gaara buried his face in Lee's shirt. "I saw what a great person you are. I wanted to get to know you. Then we were friends and I was happy that I was able to be so close to you. Then I got to know you better and started having feelings for you. Eventually I realized that I love you and I still do. I always will." Gaara glanced up and Lee and rubbed his eyes, cursing himself for being so weak in front of him.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be like this." He wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

"Don't be ridiculous. There's nothing to be sorry for." Lee hooked a finger under Gaara's chin and tilted his head up. He leaned in and kissed him deeply. Gaara clutched Lee's shirt in his hands. He never wanted to let go. He wished he could just stay with him like this forever. They broke apart slowly, keeping their eyes locked. "Better?" Lee flashed him a quick smile. Gaara nodded sheepishly. "Good." He chuckled and smirked.

Suddenly Gaara was thrown backwards and Lee was on top of him, tickling every inch of him he could reach.

"Ack!" Gaara tried his hardest to push Lee away. "Stop. Stopstopstop!" Lee laughed and attacked him more viciously. Gaara squirmed, trying his best to get away. He ended up on his side, sandwiched between the back of the couch and Lee. He tried to curl his legs up but Lee caught them between his own and held them tightly. He kept struggling but as hard as he tried he couldn't wriggle free. "Gah. Stooooop~." He whined, laughing, then all of a sudden there was a loud _CRACK_. He looked at Lee in horror, who was holding his nose.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry! Are you ok?" He pulled Lee's hand away to look at his nose. It was all red. He must have punched him by accident.

"Yeah I'm fine." Lee sniffed and smiled. "Is it bleeding?"

"No." After all the people he'd killed you'd think this wouldn't bother him. "I'm so sorry." He kissed his nose gently, making sure he didn't hurt it any more.

"Don't worry. That was my fault." He chuckled, putting the overly worried red head at ease. He wrapped his arms around him, hugging him. Gaara smiled and kissed him. "Will you be mine? Forever?" Lee's voice was soft and comforting. Gaara nodded, curling up in Lee's arms.

"Of course. Forever." Lee smiled and ran his hands through the fiery red hair. He would do anything for this boy, the one who stole his heart. Though, he was sure, he would have given it to him anyway.

Lee woke with a start, wondering when he'd dozed off. He jerked violently, almost falling off the couch. If Gaara hadn't had his arms wrapped around him, he would have. Said redhead grunted and opened his eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked sleepily. Lee sat up and, much to Gaara's dismay, freed himself from his hold.

"It's almost dawn." He looked pointedly toward the window, where a slight hint of color was starting to show. "I have to go meet Tenten and Neji." Gaara frowned and sat up.

"Just stay here and live with me." He pouted. Lee chuckled and kissed his forehead.

"I would love to but I can't." He walked over to the door where his shoes were and put them on. Gaara followed, arms crossed. He didn't want him to leave.

"Don't worry; we'll see each other again soon." He told the sulking Kazekage, trying to cheer him up. Gaara sighed.

"I'm going to Konoha in a few weeks for a meeting with Tsunade."

"Wondrful! See? That's not that long." He smiled and pulled Gaara into a tight embrace. Gaara wasn't as cheerful. Three weeks was a very long time when you really wanted something but were stuck in an office doing paperwork twenty-four seven, but he nodded and smiled anyway.

"I love you." Lee smiled.

"I love you too." He leaned down and kissed him deeply. It was sweet, not aggressive like the first time. Their tongues glided over each other gently, savoring the moment as long as they could. Eventually Lee had to pull away. Neji and Tenten would be waiting for him, wondering why he'd never come back last night. He'd have to think of something to tell them. He gave Gaara a final peck on the lips and headed out the door. Gaara closed it as Lee left. He wanted to stand in the doorway and watch him until he couldn't see him anymore but knew what people would think if they saw him. It tore his heart apart to see him go but knew he couldn't keep him there forever. At least he had something to look forward to. He would see him again in a few weeks.


	4. Chapter 4

_CRACK!_

Lee flew through the air and landed on a rock several feet away. A sharp pain surged through his leg as he tried to stand up and he fell back to the ground.

Gai Sensei had strongly suggested they spar an hour before training every morning. "It keeps you alert and youthful" he said, throwing his pointer finger up in the air. Lee, of course, agreed. It would have been weird if he hadn't. He was always so eager to do any sort of training, always wanting to get ahead and be the best. The only problem, however, was that he didn't feel like training lately. He had no inspiration to fight. The only thing he could think of was Gaara and it was driving him insane. It had only been three weeks since he'd last seen him. It shouldn't have messed him up this badly. He spaced out in the middle of a sparring session and now he was on the ground. That _never _happened. It was impossible to think something like that could affect him so badly. He mentally kicked himself and made a note to run two hundred laps around the village backwards after training was over. It was bad practice to let himself get so carried away. He rubbed his leg tenderly, noticing how swollen it was. Most likely it was sprained. He'd know if it was broken. Besides, even though a kick from his sensei could definitely break his leg, they were only sparring so it wasn't that forceful. They didn't want to accidentally hurt each other.

"Lee!" His shocked sensei ran over to him and knelt down next to him, immediately inspecting the wound. "Are you ok?" Lee nodded and leaned back, resting his head on the rock and looking at the sky. Of course he wasn't ok. He was slowly falling into insanity but it wasn't like he could tell anyone.

Deciding Lee's leg wasn't broken and obviously relieved at that fact, Gai relaxed and sat down next to him. He was worried though. He'd never seen Lee so out of it. "Lee, what's wrong? You've been acting odd lately."

"Nothing. I'm just tired. I haven't been sleeping well lately." Gai gave him a quizzical look.

"Oh? Can't fall asleep? Maybe you're not burning up enough energy. It might help if you train more." Lee sighed. He loved his sensei but agreed with the rest of the village when they said he could be a bit thick at times.

"I've just been having… guy… issues… I guess." That was one way to put it. He felt bad that he couldn't tell him the truth but decided that it wasn't lying and that eased his guilt a little bit.

"Oh." Gai's eyes widened. "I see." He cleared his throat nervously. He knew he was like a father figure to Lee but they'd never talked about these things before. "Well, you've just got to try different ways of doing it and see what works best for you." Lee gave him a _what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about _look. "I mean, it's different for everyone. B-but don't worry, just because you haven't found what works for you yet doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Once you figure it out everything will get better and I'm sure you'll be able to fall asleep easier. Don't get too frustrated."

_Oh. _

_God._

This is the last thing he wanted to talk to his sensei about. He didn't need a sex talk from the person who had practically been his father for the past twelve years. Yeah, he masturbated, but he figured it all out years ago and never even thought about talking about such things with his sensei. It felt so… _unyouthful_.

"And there's absolutely no reason to be embarrassed Lee. You're young and discovering different things about yourself." He was starting to stumble over his words and Lee could tell he was nervous. "It's a perfectly normal thing for someone your age to go through. I remember when I first…"

"Sensei." Gai, glad for the interruption, stopped mid-sentence and looked at his perturbed student. "It's all good, ok?" Lee didn't want to be rude but he didn't want to hear about how his beloved sensei _discovered_ himself. "I-I'll figure it out. Thanks." He smiled awkwardly, hoping he hadn't offended the obviously uncomfortable older man. Gai nodded.

Lee wanted to tell Gai about Gaara but didn't want to betray Gaara's trust. He was sure there wasn't anything his sensei could do for him anyway.

He stood up but flinched slightly when he put weight on his sprained leg. Gai quickly changed into super-protective-sensei mode and stood up, alarmed. "Don't put any weight on it!" He demanded and scooped Lee up in his arms. Lee yelped as he was flipped over and lifted into the air. "We need to find you a medic nin ASAP!" With that, he rushed off as fast as he could back to the village.

He burst through the hospital doors and, much to the nurses' dismay and annoyance, started yelling frantically that Lee needed a medic. Some of the newer nurses were alarmed but those that had been there long enough and knew about Gai and his oddities were annoyed. This happened at least once a week. He would burst into the hospital and disrupt everything, freaking about some small injury one of his students or sparring partners had.

"What's wrong sir?" A timid nurse walked up to him, slightly afraid.

"He needs immediate medical attention!" He yelled loudly, causing her to flinch. "Don't just stand there! Do something! Get a medic!" She nodded and backed away nervously.

"Of course. Follow me please." Gai ran after her, shouting frantically about the hospital's lack of service and how everyone in the village was going to die if this kept up. Lee felt bad for the poor girl but was too used to his sensei's outbursts to be embarrassed. He admired his sensei for how much love and care he had for those close to him.

The nurse led them to a small white room and, after sputtering many apologies, shut the door and left to get a medic. Gai placed Lee on the blue cot and paced the room concernedly.

"I'm supposed to go on a mission tomorrow morning but if your leg is too messed up I am staying. I will not leave you at the house helpless and incapacitated and alone." He looked worried.

"Don't worry about me sensei. I can take care of myself." He gave his sensei a huge grin and a thumbs up. This seemed to ease the taller man slightly and he smiled.

"I know. You're sixteen. You're very much able to take care of yourself. I just want to make sure you're ok." Lee smiled and was about to respond when the door swung open and a very unhappy Lady Tsunade walked in.

"Lady Tsunade!" Gai shouted. "Please tell me he is going to be ok! Please tell me there's nothing wrong!" She ignored his frantic pleas and walked over to Lee and quickly examined his leg. "There's nothing wrong with him is there?" Gai danced around behind her, trying to see over her shoulder.

"Gai." She turned around to face him and he stopped talking, his eyes wide and mouth agape. "Shut up. He is fine. I'll just quickly fix his sprain and you two can get out."

"Oh thank you Lady Tsunade! You truly must be the greatest woman to ever live! NO! You ARE the greatest woman to ever live!" He went into the nice guy pose and Lady Tsunade could swear she saw his teeth sparkle a bit. She really could not stand that idiot. "Thank you! Thank-" _FWACK!_ Gai looked at her, dumbfounded and holding his head.

A bit peeved, Tsunade looked at her broken clipboard. That man really knew how to test her patience. She pointed a shaky finger toward the door. "Out." She stated, gritting her teeth.

"B-but, my lady…"

"OUT!" He jumped back, alarmed. "And stop upsetting my nurses! There's enough going on here without all of your mindless blundering! Go. Now. Or I'll make sure you take permanent residence here!" Gai bowed quickly and backed up towards the door.

"A-as you wish my lady! Lee, I'll see you outside." He rushed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Tsunade sighed and turned toward Lee. He didn't like it when people talked to his sensei that way but knew better than to get into any kind of confrontation with Lady Tsunade.

"Put your leg flat." He did as he was ordered without hesitation. She was already irritated and he didn't want to make her any more upset. She made a ball of chakra between her palms. It glowed a light violet color and swirled slowly in her hands. "It won't hurt. You've splintered your femur and sprained your ankle. I'm just going to fix it up. It shouldn't take more than a few moments." Lee nodded.

"Thank you Lady Tsunade." She pressed the chakra ball to his ankle and pushed it in slowly. Lee felt the warm fluttering chakra flicker in him. It felt odd but nice. The pain was gone within seconds but he held completely still as she continued up his leg to his knee. She then traced back down and lingered a few seconds more on his ankle. When she was done she lifted her hands off of him. Lee felt the warm chakra dissipate from his leg and rather wished she had continued a few minutes longer.

"Ok Lee, you're all set. You can go now." Lee slipped off the cot and smiled at her.

"Thank you very much Lady Tsunade!" She just nodded.

"Yeah yeah just get out of here. And be more careful. You two are in here way too often."

"Of course. Thank you again." He bowed and walked out of the room.

When he got outside he found his sensei pacing right outside the hospital. He stopped dead when he saw Lee. "Lee!" He rushed over to him. "Are you ok? Does it hurt?" Lee chuckled.

"I'm fine sensei. Lady Tsunade fixed my leg. There's nothing wrong with it now." Gai looked relieved.

"Oh good. I was so worried. Why don't we go home? I'll make us some dinner." Lee smiled nervously. His sensei wasn't exactly the best cook but he never protested. He couldn't stand to hurt his feelings so whenever Gai cooked for him he always ate it with a smile on his face. Whenever they had company, however, Lee always took it upon himself to cook for everyone. He didn't want his beloved sensei's feelings hurt if they told him they didn't like his cooking. Lee always had the same excuse too. He always told Gai it was his responsibility to entertain the guests and he couldn't properly do that while cooking so he always let Lee cook without question. In truth, Gai didn't really like cooking anyway. He only cooked when Lee wasn't home or to let Lee relax if he'd had a hard day. He liked to treat his student to a quiet work-free night every now and then. Because Lee had been acting oddly lately he thought he was distressed and had been cooking a lot. Accidentally causing him to hurt his leg made him feel bad too, so he felt it was his responsibility to cook tonight so his student could relax.

After dinner, which was rather burnt and far too seasoned for any normal person's tastes, Lee brought the dirty plates into the kitchen and put them in the sink. He looked around at the destroyed kitchen and sighed. There was no such thing as a clean kitchen when Gai Sensei cooked. There were hard globs of burnt something-or-other stuck to the stove and something sticky covered the wall beside the fridge. He put the cap back on the milk and put it back in the fridge. Gai always had a bad habit of leaving milk out and it usually went bad when Lee wasn't home to save it.

It took Lee about ten minutes to scrape everything off the stove. He left a few scratch marks on it because he had to use a metal spatula to get it all off. Then he wiped up the rest of the mess and cleaned the dishes. He didn't mind cleaning, especially if it meant less work for his favorite sensei. They didn't have a dishwasher because both he and his sensei believed they were for lazy people who didn't feel like taking twenty minutes out of their day to make sure they were cleaned properly. It also didn't help that Gai didn't even know how to use one.

When everything was cleaned Lee went into the living room. His sensei was doing stretches and poses with a very determined look on his face. If Lee was anyone else, he would have burst out laughing. Every night after dinner Gai would go into the living room and do his 'after dinner exercises'.

"It keeps the body youthful!" He said, the first time Lee asked what he was doing. "It's no good if you just sit around and get fat. You need to burn off those calories and keep your body in tip-top condition!" It usually ended up being a mixture of taijutsu and yoga and was sometimes made into a very interesting dance session when music was playing. Lee admired his sensei's determined nature and sometimes joined him for an hour or two.

Lately, however, he'd taken to cleaning and heading for bed, or at least entertaining himself until he got tired and went to sleep. Sometimes he'd train or do poses like his sensei. Sometimes he'd clean his room, not that it was dirty, but it gave him something to do. Sometimes he'd just daydream for hours. He'd been daydreaming a lot lately and felt awkward doing so around Gai, especially when it involved a short, adorable redhead whom he was head over heels for.

"Good night sensei." He smiled at his sensei who was currently in some ridiculous pose that only someone with his flexibility could pull off.

"Off to bed already Lee?" He stood up, breath uneven. There's no way his lungs could have been fully functional in that position.

"Yes. I'm really tired. When are you leaving tomorrow?" He wanted to get up early so he could make him breakfast. He always cooked for Gai before he went away on missions.

"Actually I'm leaving really early. I have to be out of here by four."

"Oh. Ok then. I'll get up around three then. You need a good meal before you leave." Lee smiled. He didn't usually wake up until six but he didn't mind waking up earlier to cook.

"No, don't worry about it Lee. You should sleep in. Besides, I'm only going to be gone for a few days. How about you just cook me something when I get back?" He gave Lee a thumbs up. He didn't want to upset his precious student's sleep pattern. Sleep is essential to stay youthful. It keeps you young, vibrant and energized.

"Are you sure? I really don't mind…"

"No. I insist. Sleep." He beamed and Lee nodded.

"Ok then. Good night sensei. Good luck on your mission!" He gave his sensei the nice guy pose and hug tackled him.

"Good night Lee. I'll see you in a few days."

"Night."

He walked down the hallway that led from the living room to his room. His room was on the first floor but Gai's was on the second floor. Their house had a very odd shape, kind of like a wonky L-shape, and the top floor only had Gai's room and a small bathroom. Before Gai took Lee in, he had used Lee's room as storage but threw most of it out when Lee moved in because it was all junk he never used.

He walked into his room, closing the heavy wooden door behind him, and plopped down on his bed, not even bothering with the lights. He stripped to his boxers and got under his sheet, kicking the blankets off his bed. It was too hot to deal with them.

He folded his hands over his stomach and stared up at his ceiling in the pitch blackness. He used to have glow in the dark stars all over it but took them down a few years ago when he decided he was too old for them. He changed a lot when he decided he wasn't a child anymore. He'd changed the pictures he had on his wall from colorful drawings that he drew to pictures of his friends and favorite idols. He'd gotten rid of all his kids toys. He even started to read the newspaper, though he usually didn't find anything interesting in it. That's also when he cut his hair. He regretted doing that now though. Every time he tried to grow it out he decided, after two months or so, that it looked too gross at such an awkward, half-grown length and cut it again.

Gaara had nice hair though. It was only a few inches longer than it was when they were thirteen but it was still short. Lee liked it though. He loved the color too. And the way it felt so soft when he ran his fingers through it. His mouth twitched into a smile.

Gaara had a nice smile, he mused. He mentally traced over the thin, soft lips in his mind, wishing his adorable redhead was there with him. He'd give anything to be with him right now. He closed his eyes and pictured him. Every detail was as clear as if he was really there. The narrow jade eyes were sparkling and smiling as if they were hiding a secret from him. In spite of his narrow face he had a strong jaw, which led down to a slender neck where an adam's apple was just visible beneath his soft, pale skin. He wanted to kiss it. He'd stroke Gaara's hair and kiss his neck gently, smiling every time he felt him shiver beneath him. Then he'd nip along his collar bone while tracing small circles around his belly button. He'd chuckle when he felt the goose bumps appear in his wake and when he met Gaara in a deep, passionate kiss, Gaara would sigh and relax into him, pressing their bodies together, showing Lee how much he needed him. Then Lee would trace his fingers down Gaara's stomach teasingly and slowly pull his pants down and then…

_No. _He demanded. _It's very unyouthful to think such things of other people. These are the kinds of thoughts that get you in trouble. Maybe Gaara doesn't want me to think of him this way. It wouldn't be fair of me to imagine something about him he doesn't want me to. _

He imagined Gaara being very upset with him if he found out and how horrible it would be to upset him like that.

_But doesn't everyone think about things like this?_

Naruto, being his closest male friend, and extremely blunt about everything he says, tells him things like this all the time. Lee usually just tries to block out the graphic parts, feeling like he was imposing on whoever Naruto was talking about at the time.

_It doesn't seem right. Though, I suppose if you don't tell anyone about it, it doesn't hurt anyone right? _

An image of a shy, smiling Gaara in a very suggestive pose flashed through his mind and he immediately felt heat pour into his face, along with certain other parts of his body he was trying so hard to ignore.

_And we're together, so it's not like he's a complete stranger or anything._

The imaginary Gaara winked at him and blew him an air kiss.

_And maybe it'll happen someday anyway. What's wrong with thinking of the future?_

Gaara layed back and started tracing his hands down his petite frame, drawing little designs on his stomach and smiling at Lee, trying to lure him closer. He felt more heat rush through him.

_And what if he thinks things like this about me?_

This last idea seemed to settle it for him. He jumped out of bed to lock his door and quickly jumped right back in. He closed his eyes and pictured Gaara again, who was currently smiling seductively at him and moving his hands lower. His eyes narrowed with every inch until they were closed completely and his mouth opened a bit as he firmly grasped himself.

Lee watched eagerly as he pulled his own boxers off. The imaginary Gaara moaned and Lee grabbed himself, emitting a sharp gasp. He slowly pumped up and down in rhythm with Gaara's breathing which matched his own. Gaara started pumping faster and Lee smirked. He stopped suddenly and Gaara moaned in protest. Then he rubbed his thumb over the tip, sending shivers up his spine. Gaara crawled on top of him and straddled him, taking over. One hand teased his dick while the other massaged his own.

Then he knelt between Lee's legs and lowered his head, one hand still stroking him. He kissed all up and down Lee's stomach, covering every inch possible, going lower and lower. He finally got to the base of Lee's shaft and nuzzled it lovingly, whispering soft words of love Lee could not hear. Suddenly, all at once, he took Lee in his mouth completely. Pleasure coursed through Lee's body as he played with the soft red hair.

He starting moving his hips in rhythm with Gaara as heat ran through him. He felt close and when he finally came, white sparks flashed behind his eyelids as his back arched into his lover. He collapsed back onto his mattress but when he opened his eyes he was dismayed to see his beloved redhead wasn't there at all. He rolled onto his side and sighed, wishing he could hold him. He'd give anything to be with him right now. He shut his alarm clock off. He didn't plan on waking up early at all the next morning. Then he closed his eyes and he was out.


End file.
